A Day of Assessing

So Seattle teachers are still protesting the MAP. I don’t feel like I have enough information on the MAP to comment knowledgeably yet, but I can take you through a day of mid-winter testing in my classroom. I don’t know any school that would let media in during that time, so here’s an opportunity to see what’s actually happening over the course of an ENTIRE DAY when teachers say they’re “testing.”

As a reminder, I teach in a 2nd and 3rd grade highly capable class. My students’ stamina for testing might be slightly higher than comprable gen ed classes.

11:00 AM: Lunch. All food comes freshly wrapped in plastic. Which is another story for another day.

11:25 AM: Recess

11:50 AM: Pick students up from recess. They finish Ticket to Recess upon returning to class.

12:05 PM: Students come to carpet spot, we read a chapter or two from The Shadows.

12:20 PM: Pass out Gates MacGinitie assessment. Read all the OFFICIAL DIRECTIONS to 3rd graders. 2nd graders work on independent reading or writing. (The directions are pages long. Although not as long as the MSP directions.)